With its slim, tapered shape and open top, the canoe hasn't changed much since it was conceived by the indigenous peoples of North America; yet it still constitutes one of the most popular choices for casual rowers as well as serious enthusiasts. Compared to alternatives like kayaking, learning to paddle a canoe can take a little more practice. However, once you understand how to do it, you will have a free and ecological way to visit undisturbed landscapes of wild nature alone or in the company of friends … not bad!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Paddling Forward
Step 1. Purchase or rent suitable safety equipment before you begin
As with all water activities, safety is very important in a canoe, so make sure you have the proper equipment before setting out on your adventure. Unfortunately, some serious risks such as drowning, while rare, are no joke. A recommended minimum necessary equipment is listed below; contact your local environmental protection authorities (such as the coast guard office at the sea or the forest ranger in a national park) for specific information on the area you intend to canoe in. Also read the "Things You Will Need" list at the end of this article for further recommendations.
Also, you should be at least a reasonably competent swimmer, as capsizing (finding the canoe upside down) can be a frequent problem for beginners.
Step 2. Keep your center of gravity low to keep the canoe balanced
The first time you ever get into a canoe, you will probably immediately notice that maintaining balance is difficult and every little movement seems to move the boat more than you expect. To counter this stormy effect, stay as low as possible; you can even sit or kneel on the bottom of the boat until you feel more stable. Most canoe seats should provide good balance - at least until you start moving or standing up. If you are paddling alone, sit in the back (aft) with the equipment in the front (bow), so that you will be able to maneuver the boat better.
If your gear isn't a lot, you may find it easier to find balance by sitting in the center.
- Try to sit with your back as straight as possible. By holding your body perpendicular to the surface of the water (usually means straight down) you will have the most stable balance position.
- Do not worry! The canoe will be more stable when the paddles are in the water as the resistance of the moving water helps keep the boat upright.
Step 3. Grab the paddle with one hand on the knob and the other a few inches below
Sitting securely in the canoe, grab the paddle with both hands.
- Place one hand on top, at the end of the handle (usually there should be a rounded knob; if not, grab the handle near the end). This will be called the hand side-canoe.
- Use your other hand to grab a lower point on the handle that is comfortable; usually, it is at least 30 cm above the flat part of the paddle. Grasping the handle by the side of the flat part is not recommended, as it forces you to work harder. Turn your hand so that your palm faces the boat. This will be called the hand side-water.
Step 4. Go on with the paddle
It's time to start rowing! Start by rotating your torso so that the water-side shoulder moves forward. Move the paddle forward (out of the water) and then insert it into the water so that the paddle blade is submerged (but not much of the handle). Hold the paddle shaft as close to vertical as possible for added force.
Don't forget to pay attention to your body position while paddling. You need to get as far as possible without moving off the seat or leaning too far forward, losing your balance
Step 5. Pull the paddle back towards you
Turn the paddle blade so that it is perpendicular to the canoe (and direction of movement). Use your arm and trunk muscles to pull the paddle through the water in a straight line parallel to the center of the canoe.
- Try to keep the paddle close to the boat as you row (some even suggest keeping the inside edge of the paddle in contact with the canoe). Too wide a stroke risks inadvertently spinning the boat.
- Muscle control is very important for effective rowing. You will mainly need to use your core muscles for power and not your back muscles, as excessive strain on your back can leave you sore and sore after the canoe ride.
Step 6. Restart the paddle movement from the side
Stop applying force to the paddle when the blade reaches your side. Start bringing the shovel up and out of the water. Turn the paddle so that the blade is parallel to the surface as you move forward for the next stroke.
You are now back in the starting position! Simply repeat the steps listed so far and continue paddling; the canoe should build up good momentum and move forward at a certain speed. However, if you row from only one side of the boat, you will begin to move in circles. See below for more information on cross rowing
Step 7. Change which side you row on after a few strokes
If you've ever seen someone paddling a canoe, you've probably noticed that after a few strokes they'll pull the paddle out of the water and start paddling on the opposite side. It is done to keep the canoe on a straight course; paddling on one side only, in fact, you will soon realize yourself that you are starting to turn towards the opposite side. To paddle on the other side, pull the paddle out of the water when it is at hip height. Lift it perpendicular to the canoe and bring it to the other side, reversing the position of the hands on top and in the middle; it should come naturally to you. Put it back in the water and continue paddling as before.
- Try practicing this movement a few times to get the feel of the "rhythm" with which to switch sides. For most rowers, switching after a few strokes is ideal - the exact number varies depending on how you row and how strong your strokes are.
- If you are paddling in pairs (i.e. two people in the canoe), you will need to coordinate the movements with your partner. Read below for information on paddling with a buddy.
Part 2 of 3: Turn
Step 1. Row continuously to one side for gentle turns
The easiest way to turn a canoe is probably the most intuitive one too. Assuming you are sitting in the stern (rear) or center of the canoe, simply row normally on one side only to begin tacking in the opposite direction. That is, to turn left, row on the right side, while to turn right, row on the left. You should notice that the canoe's course changes slightly with each row.
This method is ideal for small course corrections because, while it doesn't turn the boat too fast, it doesn't slow you down either. For example, if you see a sandbar protruding out of the water 100 meters away, it is probably more appropriate to use this type of turn to pass alongside it; you are not in a hurry
Step 2. Use "J" strokes for more controlled turns
As you canoe, over time you will find that while single-sided paddling is an effective way to steer in multiple situations, there are also numerous occasions when you need to turn more quickly. One of the simplest ways to tack in these cases is called a "J row". To use this technique, you should ideally be sitting in the stern.
- To perform a J-stroke, place the paddle in the water behind you so that it is nearly flat against the side of the boat, almost touching it. As you do this, rotate your torso so that your shoulders are parallel to the sides of the canoe. Use the torso and torso muscles to turn back to a forward facing position; this movement should cause the paddle to rotate out to the same side and the canoe, at the same time, should turn to the same side the paddle is on, as if using a rudder.
- Avoid using this stroke too much. While it makes you turn quickly, it will also reduce your forward momentum quite a bit.
Step 3. Use sweeping back sweeps for tight turns
The J-row described above is actually just a shortened version of a particular rowing technique called "back sweep". By increasing the sweep width, you will also increase the speed at which you turn. However, larger sweeps will also slow you down more, so it's best to save them for situations where you really need them or you'll have to do some really hard strokes afterwards to pick up speed again.
To perform a back sweep, start with the paddle behind you as you would for a J row. This time, when you straighten your torso, let the paddle come out to the side completely; it should be perpendicular to the side of the boat when you finish the move. You should immediately notice that the canoe turns to the same side that the paddle is on
Step 4. Alternatively, use the hooks for tight turns
Another technique for making sharp turns on the canoe is called "hooking". This technique is effective, but because its shape is different from that of any other row, it can be more complicated to perform on the go - unless you are an experienced rower. Try to try it at reduced speed before using it in a more serious situation.
- To hook up, place the paddle in the water directly out of your side. Your arms should be as straight as possible, the paddle vertical as long as you can hold it, and the side-canoe arm should be above your head. Pull the paddle towards the canoe until it touches or gets very close to it, while keeping the paddle parallel to the side of the canoe. Assuming you are sitting in the stern, the canoe should turn away from the paddle.
- Remove the paddle from the water by slitting it backwards out of the water without changing the orientation of the paddle. From here, you can easily switch to a normal forward row or a J row.
Part 3 of 3: Paddling in pairs
Step 1. Sit in the canoe at the opposite end of your partner
Paddling in tandem (with a buddy) is similar to doing it alone, with a few key differences. When two people sit on the same boat it is important to be able to keep it "in trim" - which means making sure it stays balanced on the water. Thus, one person will have to sit at the bow (front) and the other at the stern (behind). This should be the arrangement that comes most naturally and the one that provides the most balance.
- If one person is significantly heavier than the other, you may want to consider putting some equipment on the end of the canoe where the lighter one is sitting, to distribute the weight more evenly.
- In traditional terms of canoeing, the person sitting in the bow is said bowman while the one sitting at the stern helmsman.
Step 2. Let the bowman set the rowing pace
When rowing as a team, you need to synchronize your strokes (start and finish them at the same time) to achieve maximum thrust. Since whoever is in the bow faces forward and is unable to see who is behind, the bowman sets the pace of rowing. This means that it is up to the helmsman to set the strokes to the rhythm of those of the bowman and not vice versa. Obviously, both rowers can (and should) talk to each other to agree and find a comfortable rhythm; good communication is the key to a fast and happy crossing.
Step 3. Let the helmsman handle the turns
It will almost always be easier for the person sitting in the stern to determine the direction of the boat than for the one in front. Consequently, the helmsman has the responsibility of making sure that the canoe is going in the right direction. He should perform normal strokes and special movements such as J-strokes and sweeps to keep the canoe in the direction of travel. The bowman could still help with tacking, but is usually unable to take on a leadership role.
The reason that the helmsman has more control over the turns of the canoe is related to the resistance that the water gives to the boat. In fact, as the prow of the canoe "splits" the water, it also constantly feels the resistance that pushes it off course. The stern, on the other hand, does not undergo this force and consequently feels even less the "push" of the surrounding water, thus being able to turn more easily
Step 4. Synchronize row changes to go straight
When moving forward, having the two people row on opposite sides of the canoe usually results in the straighter trajectory. To make sure you don't accidentally start paddling on the same side of the canoe by spinning it, make sure you switch sides at the same time. Generally, the helmsman yells "change!" at the right time.
Note that since the stern rider has more control over the direction of the canoe, the canoe will usually tend to turn slightly on the side the helmsman is rowing, even if the bowman is still rowing on the opposite side; this is the main reason why it is important to change sides
Step 5. Learn to recognize the differences in tacking techniques for the bowman
With the addition of a second rower, tacking a canoe becomes a little different. While all of the techniques described in the previous section will work without problems for the helmsman, the bowman's efforts to turn can have different results since he is at the front of the boat. Once the bowman understands these differences, he will be able to witness the canoe turns. Below is a summary of the techniques that can be used by the bowman to help turn:
- Paddling forward works normally (the canoe will go away from the rowing side of the bowman);
- The hooks work backwards (the canoe will turn towards the bowman's paddle);
- Instead of sweeping backwards, the bowman usually uses a technique called forward sweep to help maneuver. This is essentially the opposite of sweeping backwards: the bowman moves the paddle forward, then pulling it back and out of the water to the side in a wide arc on the surface of the water. It works as a more powerful version of the normal forward sweep, making the canoe veer away from the bowman's paddle.
Advice
- If you are paddling alone, as the canoe is symmetrical and you prefer the bow seat to the stern seat, try turning the canoe (placing the bow seat behind) and sitting on the bow seat looking forward (towards the direction of travel). This way you will be in your favorite seat without affecting the rowing technique.
- If you are paddling alone sitting in the stern, you may need to add a pebble bag or water tank to the opposite end to keep the canoe in balance (ie "trim"). You could also just sit or kneel in the center of the canoe, however the maneuverability will be slightly better when standing aft.
